Tornado outbreak spawns more than 100 twisters in Great Plains
CoreLogic estimates that more than 7,000 homes and businesses may have been damaged or destroyed in these storms.
A storm system that crossed the Great Plains on April 26 and 27, 2024, and produced more than 100 confirmed tornadoes, may have damaged or destroyed more than 7,000 homes and businesses, CoreLogic estimates. This includes extensive damage to residential, commercial and industrial facilities in areas of Nebraska, Iowa and Oklahoma.
The National Weather Service received 127 tornado reports during these two days, with the majority of reports on April 26 in Nebraska and Iowa, and the majority of those on April 27 in Oklahoma and Kansas. These included five confirmed EF3 tornadoes and two EF2 tornadoes.
The largest twister, however, is one that struck Marietta, Oklahoma, which was a confirmed EF4, with winds as high as 170 mph and a 27-mile track. This tornado killed at least one person, and destroyed a large Dollar Tree distribution center in addition to other local homes and businesses.
When it comes to the financial impact of these storms, CoreLogic reports the combined reconstruction cost of the estimated 7,229 single- and multi-family residential properties affected by the storm would be around $2.1 billion. Keep in mind, that not all structures that were affected were complete losses up to the estimated reconstruction value.
To make matters worse, areas of the Great Plains that were devastated by the late-April outbreak — as well as some of their northern neighbors — are likely to see more severe weather as soon as Monday.
Accuweather reports a zone that encompasses areas of western South Dakota, southern Oklahoma, eastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, western and central Iowa and western Missouri is at risk of multiple tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds from Monday into Monday evening. Tornadoes from this outbreak could strike the more densely populated areas in the lower Plains.